Filtration assembly

Abstract

A filtration assembly for removing solid particulate matter and contaminants from motor oil including, without limitation, motor oil used in internal combustion engines. A housing having a removable cap defines an inner chamber. Stacked sheets of filter materials, interspersed between pressure plates, are installed within the chamber. Pressurized fluid is introduced into the inner chamber; the fluid pressure acts on the pressure plates and compresses the filter materials. As the pressurized fluid passes through the filter materials, solids and particulate matter are filtered from the fluid stream by the filter materials.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method for filtering oil in a lubrication system of an engine comprising:
 a) installing at least one filtration assembly into said lubrication system, wherein said at least one filtration assembly comprises:
 i) a housing comprising:
 aa) a base having an outlet port extending through said base; 
 bb) an interconnected side wall extending from said base, wherein said side wall and base cooperate to define an inner chamber; and 
 cc) a pointed protrusion of singular construction extending from said base into said inner chamber and disposed substantially around the entire perimeter of said outlet port and adjacent to said outlet port; 
 
 ii) a lid removably attachable to said housing and having an inlet port extending through said lid; 
 iii) an upper compression plate movably disposed within said inner chamber, wherein said upper compression plate comprises:
 aa) a substantially planar and continuous upper surface; 
 bb) a substantially planar and continuous lower surface; and 
 cc) a circular pointed protrusion of singular construction extending from said lower surface; 
 
 iv) an intermediate compression plate having a substantially planar upper surface, a substantially planar lower surface, a central aperture extending through said plate, a first pointed protrusion of singular construction extending from said upper surface and disposed substantially around the entire perimeter of said central aperture and adjacent to said central aperture, and a second pointed protrusion of singular construction extending from said lower surface and disposed substantially around the entire perimeter of said central aperture and adjacent to said central aperture, wherein said intermediate compression plate is movably disposed within said inner chamber, and wherein said central aperture of said intermediate compression plate is axially aligned with said outlet port of said base; 
 v) a first plurality of stacked filter sheets disposed within said inner chamber between said upper compression plate and said intermediate compression plate and defining flow openings between said stacked filter sheets, wherein each of said first plurality of stacked filter sheets has a central aperture, and wherein said central apertures of said first plurality of stacked filter sheets are axially aligned with each other, said central aperture of said intermediate compression plate and said outlet port of said base; 
 vi) a second plurality of stacked filter sheets disposed within said inner chamber between said intermediate compression plate and said base and defining flow openings between said stacked filter sheets, wherein each of said second plurality of stacked filter sheets has a central aperture, and wherein said central apertures of said second plurality of stacked filter sheets are axially aligned with each other, said central apertures of said first plurality of stacked filter sheets, said central aperture of said intermediate compression plate and said outlet port of said base; 
 
 wherein an annular flow channel is formed between said side wall of said housing and said upper compression plate, intermediate compression plate, and first and second pluralities of stacked filter sheets; and 
 b) introducing motor oil into said inlet port of said filtration assembly, wherein fluid pressure of said motor oil compresses said plurality of stacked filter sheets, and wherein said upper compression plate and intermediate compression plate move within said inner chamber and compress said first and second pluralities of filter sheets, and wherein said pointed protrusion of said upper compression plate and said first pointed protrusion of said intermediate compression plate cooperate to compress said flow openings of said first plurality of stacked filter sheets more at the aligned central apertures of said first plurality of filter sheets than at said annular flow channel without penetrating said first plurality of filter sheets, and said pointed protrusion of said base and said second pointed protrusion of said intermediate compression plate cooperate to compress said flow openings of said second plurality of stacked filter sheets more at the aligned central apertures of said second plurality of filter sheets than at said annular flow channel without penetrating said second plurality of filter sheets, and said motor oil flows through said first and second pluralities of stacked filter sheets and said outlet port. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of stacked filter sheets comprise paper or cellulose. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said motor oil flows:
 a) in said inlet port; 
 b) through said annular flow channel; 
 c) between said first and second pluralities of stacked filter sheets; 
 d) though said axially aligned central apertures of said pluralities of stacked filter sheets and said intermediate compression plate; and 
 e) out said outlet port. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from said base of said housing, wherein said protrusion substantially surrounds said outlet port and is adjacent to said outlet port.